The present invention relates to a natural-fiber food storage bag or similar flexible disposable container for storing a serving of food, and which is naturally biodegradable in landfill or compost. The present invention is more particularly concerned with a paper packaging for food items, e.g., natural food items, such as meats, cheeses, fruit, vegetables, and sandwiches, snack food (e.g., potato chips) and other items that can be packed and carried, or reserved for the purpose of eating later.
A common problem with existing food storage bags is that they are typically made of non-biodegradable materials, e.g., polyethylene or plastic-coated or impregnated materials, that take many years to bio-degrade. The composition of these bags makes them non-compostable. If they are returned to the earth, e.g., in compost or landfill, the bag material can release synthetic chemicals and materials which are harmful to the environment. This results in the landfill or other disposal site needing additional work or equipment to maintain, so the product becomes less cost effective in the long run, if one considers the costs of disposal/recycling. The materials used in the conventional sandwich bags and food storage bags are typically impervious to water vapor and other atmospheric gases, which can limit the storage life of many fresh food items, e.g., fruits and vegetables.
Prior paper sandwich bag constructions are described in Sorenson U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,579 (Apr. 16, 1996) and in Fabbi U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,966 (Dec. 4, 1990). Neither of these achieves the objective of being biodegradable nor being convenient to use.